Electric-alarm water-column



(NoModeL) M. L. BUSH. ELEGTRIG ALARM WATER COLUMN.

Patented Feb. 15

TN! Norms yarns cc. wuoruu'rna. WASHINGTON, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN L; BUSH, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO CHARLES F. SWAIN, OF METHUEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC-ALARM WATER-COLUMN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,220, dated February 15, 1898.

Application filed June M, 1897. Serial No. 640,682. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARTIN L. BUSH, of

Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Alarm lVator-Columns; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in electric-alarm water-columns and it consists in the novel combination of elements which are especially simple and efficient in operation.

More especially the invention consists in the combination of a water-cylinder containing a float and means at the top and bottom of the cylinder for sounding the alarm with respect to a predetermined height of water to be carried in-the steam-boiler.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple device of the character specified and one which will be perfectly reliable in operation and not likely to get out of order in the course of ordinary use.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent in the course of the following description, and the points of novelty will be particularlypointed out in the claims.

The above-named objects I am enabled to accomplish by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts.

In the accompanying drawin gs,formin g part of this specification, Figure 1 represents an elevation of my improved device, showing the battery and bell connections used therewith. Fig. 2 represents a central transverse section of the water-column and water-tube. Fig. 3 represents a central transverse section of one of the caps of the water-cylinder, showing an additional means of making contact and completing the circuit when the float ascends or descends in the cylinder.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates an upright water-cylinder, preferably constructed of brass and provided at its 50 ends with external screw-threads for the reception of internally-screw-threaded disks or caps 2. The lower end of the cylinder 1 is connected to the water-space of the boiler by means of an inlet-pipe 3, and its upper end is connected to the steam-space of the boiler by means of a pipe 4 in such manner that the water in the cylinder will stand at the same height that it does in the boiler.

ithin the cylinder I provide a float 5, made, preferably, of thin sheet metal and in the shape of a sphere of such size as to move freely up and down within the cylinder. The caps or disks 2 on the ends of the cylinder are provided at their centers with their externally-screw-threaded sleeves G, which are adapted to receive a packing 7, of felt, rubher, or other soft material, and a packing or binding nut S, the purpose of which will presently appear.

The numeral 9 indicates two tubes which enter the cylinder through the sleeve 6 and are provided at their inner ends with arms 10 and at their outer ends with binding-posts 11 for the reception and retention of circuitwires from a galvanic or other battery. lVithin the tubes 9 and insulated therefrom are rods 12, which are provided on their inner ends with arms 13 and on their outer ends with binding-posts 14 in a manner similar to the tubes 9. The tubes 9 and rods 12 are secured together in such a manner as to be practically integral and are intended to move together when it is desired to vertically adjust them.

In practice it is often found desirable to regulate the height of water in the steamboiler'to be used for a particular space of time or when the engine is working under different circumstances. By my improved deviceI am enabled to accomplish this muchdesired result by making the tubes 9 and rods 2 and their arms 10 and 13 adjustable in the sleeve 6. lVhen it is desired to sound the alarm before the water brings the float in contact with the arms 10 and 13-say, for instance, in the bottom of the cylinder-in either position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the rods are moved into the position shown in dotted lines in said figure, thus sounding the alarm when the water is a considerable distance above danger-line. t will be seen that the electric circuit will be com pleted when the float comes in contact with the arms 10 and 13 through their respective tubes 9 and rods 12 and the current passing through the wires to their respective bell and battery connections.

Vhen it is desired to adjust the arms vertical] y, the binding or packing nut is loosened and the tubes and rods are moved to the desired position, when the nut is again tightened, securing them and their respective arms in a fixed position.

The arms 10 and 13 are formed, preferably, of sheet metal having conducting properties and shaped to conform to the interior of the water-cylinder. These arms 10 and 13, it will be seen, are practically terminations of the tubes 9 and rods 12 and are adapted to make connections at the bottom and top of the cylinder with the spherical. float 5, thus sounding the alarm when the water in the steam-boiler has gone below or above a predetermined point.

The numeral 15 indicates a glass watertube of ordinary construction, which is connected to the water-column in such a manner that the water in said tube will mark the level of the water in the cylinder.

Attention being called particularly to Fig. 3 of the drawings, the numeral 16 indicates a thin leaf-sprin g formed, preferably, of copper, which is otherwise attached to the inner sides of the arms 13, said springs being provided at or near their centers with set-screws 13, which are adapted to be engaged by the 3 fiwatercylinder, having boiler connections substantially as described, of a float in said cylinder, vertically-ad j ustable tubes and rods connected with said cylinder insulated from :each other and carrying arms adapted to make contact with the float, springs secured to the Earms 13 and adapted to make contact with the arms 10 when the float engages them,'caps or disks on the cylinder having sleeves for the float as it descends or ascends in the cylinder. The numeral 17 indicates a pin or contactpoint which is provided at the end of the spring and is adapted to contact with a downwardly-extending pin or projection on the arm 10. The purpose of this spring-arm is to provide an additional means of completing the circuit to sound the alarm when the float comes in contact with the arms and the springs at the top and bottom of the cylinder.

It willbe understood that the cylinder herein described can be used in connection with tanks or reservoirs 01' in all places Where it is desirable to sound an alarm, where the height of water in its reservoir-receptacles is desired to be ascertained.

I I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the precise construction shown in the drawings, and many ordinary elements commonly used upon devices of this character--such as gage-cocks, petcocks, and the like-may be supplied where they are found necessary, and many modifications involving mechanical skill may be made without in any way changing the character of the invention or departing from the spirit thereof-as, for instance, the tubes and rods entering the water-cylinder from the bottom and top thereof may be made stationary, if desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in an electric-alarm water-cylinder having boiler connections, of a float in said cylinder, a tube and rod c011- nected with said cylinder insulated from each other, and carrying arms adapted to be engaged by said float, means for vertically adj usting said arms, and the wires and battery connections whereby the alarm is sounded when the float contacts with said arms, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination in an electric-alarm water-cylinder having connections substantially as described, of afloat in saidcylinder, a vertically-adj ustable tube and rod insulated from each other and carrying arms adapted to make contact with said float, the caps or disks on said cylinder for the reception of said tube and rod, the packing-rings on the sleeves of said caps, the nuts adapted to be screwed on the packing-rings to press the same against the adjustable tubes, whereby the arms are maintained in a fixed position, and the battery and bell connections, substantially as described.

3. The combination with an electric-alarm reception of the tubes and rods and the packing rings or sleeves,nuts on said sleeves adapted to be screwed on the packin g-rin gs to press the same against the adjustable tubes, whereby the latter are maintained in fixed position, and the battery and bell connections, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARTIN L. BUSH. Witnesses:

SETH I. BRYANT, RUFUs W. WHnELooK. 

